Locking hinges

ABSTRACT

Locking hinges in which the hinge leaves or arms are locked in selected angular position against hinge action or relative rotational displacement by clamping structure utilizing the hinge pin to clamp the hinge leaves together as an incident to translation of the hinge pin along its axis.

United States Patent lHI 3,629,900

lnventor Robert Beerli, Jr.

9456 La Luna, Fountain Valley, Calif. 92708 Appl. No. 849,790

Filed Aug. 13, 1969 Patented Dec. 28, 197 l LOCKING HINGES 4 Claims, 6Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 16/144 lnt.Cl E05d 11/10 Field of Search 16/ l 28,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 104,294 6/1870 Fischer eta1. 16/144 1,440,713 1/1923 Ausbourne 1. 16/141 2,427,384 9/1947 Bushko16/141 917.768 4/1909 .l0rdan..... 16/144 1.125.265 1/1915 Cartermh.16/141 Primary E raminer Bobby R. Gay Ass/slam Examiner- DarrellMarquette Attorney-Nienow and Frater ABSTRACT: Locking hinges in whichthe hinge leaves or arms are locked in selected angular position againsthinge action or relative rotational displacement by clamping structureutilizing the hinge pin to clamp the hinge leaves together as anincident to translation of the hinge pin along its axis.

LOCKING muons This invention relates to improvements in hinges and itrelates particularly to a hinge which incorporates a provision forlocking the hinge arms or hinge leaves against pivotal motion around thehinge pin.

There are a variety of circumstances in which it is desirable to haveone member hinged upon another so that the angular separation of the twocan be varied and in which it is sometimes desirable to fix them at someselected angular degree of separation.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hinge which will performthose tasks and it is a related object to provide such a hinge which isnot unduly expensive to produce, which provides the desired functionwell, and which is dependable and reliable in its operation. It is oftenundesirable or inconvenient, when two hinge members are to be fixed atsome degree of angular separation, to employ an external stop eitherbecause such a stop would interfere or because of inconvenience inapplying the stop to the hinge members or to the structures to whichthose members are attached. Accordingly, it is an object of theinvention to provide a stop or hinge lock which can be made a permanentpart of the hinge and which does not interfere with normal hinge action,if that is desired, or which acts primarily as a stop and can be made toserve as an ordinary hinge as circumstances require.

Hinges embodying the invention are useful in any application in whichhinges are required and it is desired to lock against hinge action atselected times. One application for a locking hinge is to insure that adoor mounted upon a hinge will remain ajar in some selected degree andone of the objects of the invention is to provide a hinge which issuitable for that purpose. In this connection, hinges incorporating theinvention are not confined to use with doors or buildings and dwellings.The invention is equally applicable to use with container lids and hatchcovers and cabinet doors and the like.

Other objects of the invention are to produce a locking hinge which canbe produced from inexpensive tooling and as a modification ofconventional hinges.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention which willhereinafter appear are realized in part by the provision of a lockinghinge comprising a hinge pin; and by the provision of a pair of hingeleaves or arms, one having pivotal connection to the pin and the pinbeing movable along its central axis relative to both of the hingeleaves or arms; by the inclusion of means for preventing pivotal motionof the other leaf relative to the hinge pin; and by provision of meansresponsive to displacement of the pin along its central axis relative tosaid leaves to a locking position for impeding relative motion betweenthe pin and said one leaf.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. I is an isometric view of a doorway formed in a wall and surroundedby a frame upon which a door is hung by hinges one of which embodies theinvention and is adjusted to lock the door in a position ajar of itsframe;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of a locking hinge embodying theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a view in front elevation of an alternative form of lockinghinge embodying the invention, one portion of the structure being shownin cross section;

FIG. 4 is a view in front elevation of a fragment of another alternativeform of locking hinge which embodies the invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 of the drawing illustrates one application for the invention. Inthis figure a door 10 is hung by three hinges l2, l4, and 16 upon a doorframe 18 which is mounted in a wall 20. Hinges l2 and 16 haveconventional form but the hinge 14 is a locking hinge which embodies thepresent invention. The structural features by which the locking functionis incorporated are so small and unobtrusive that the locking hingelooks not unlike the others. These structural elements that provide thelocking function are sufficiently small and are located in a way so thatthere is no interference with hinge action. The door 10 may be openedand closed at will in any degree. No loss in conventional hinge functionneed attend incorporation of a hinge embodying the invention.

Hinge 14 is shown in larger scale in FIG. 2. It comprises a butt hingeformed by two leaves, a hinge pin, and means pivotally interconnectingthe leaves and the pin. The leftmost leaf in FIG. 2 is designated by thereference numeral 22. The rightmost leaf in that figure is designated24. The two leaves are held together by a hinge pin 26 which extendsthrough extensions formed integrally at one edge of the two hinge leavesand wrapped around to form a generally cylindrical structure which isangularly displaceable about the pin, or at least about the pin axis, toprovide the hinge action and is sometimes termed a barrel. Theextensions of the two hinge leaves are complementally formed so that thecylindrical structures formed by wrapping around the extensions of oneleaf may be fitted between the cylindrical structures formed by wrappingaround the extensions of the other leaf. These cylindrical structuresare aligned so that the pin extends through them, passing alternatelythrough a cylindrical structure of one leaf and then through acylindrical structure of the other. In the embodiment of FIG. 2 the leaf24 is provided with three such extensions or cylindrical structureswhich are designated 28, 30, and 32, respectively. The other leaf isprovided with two of those extensions designated 34 and 36,respectively. They are seen to be in vertical alignment with theextensions 34 and 36 lying on opposite sides of the center extension 30of the plate 24. That the extensions are wrapped around to form acylindrical structure is illustrated in FIG. 6 where the structures 28of leaf 24 is shown in cross section wrapped around the pivot pin 26.

Means are provided in the invention for preventing rotation or pivotingof one of the leaves relative to the hinge pin. That means may have avariety of forms in FIG. 2. It comprises a locking or stop pin 38 whichextends through the barrel or cylindrical structure 36 and through thehinge pin 26 so that relative rotational movement of the two isprecluded. How ever, while the pin extends through a hole ofapproximately the same diameter in the hinge pin 26, it extends througha slot in the cylindrical structure 36. The slot is only as wide as thepin but it extends vertically to the end that the pin 26 may betranslated in the direction of its axis which is the central axis forhinge action. Summarizing, the hinge leaf 24 may be pivoted or rotatablydisplaced relative to the leaf 22 and to hinge pin 26 about the centralaxis of the pin. Pin 26 cannot be pivoted or rotationally displacedrelative to the leaf 22. However, the pin 26 may be translated along itsaxis relative to the two plates because the pin 38 is free to slide upand down in the slot 40 of the cylindrical structure or barrel'36. Theconstruction of the cylindrical structure 36 and its slot 40 and theconstruction of the pin 38 correspond to the structure illustrated inFIG. 3 where the pin 42 corresponds to pin 38 and cylindrical structure44 corresponds to cylindrical structure 36. In FIG. 3 the pin 42 is seento extend through an opening of corresponding size through the hinge pin46 and to be lodged in a slot 48 which corresponds to the slot 40 ofFIG. 2.

Means are incorporated in the invention for preventing pivotal motion ofthe other leaf relative to the pin and in the embodiment of FIG. 2 thismeans comprises a structural arrangement that prevents relative rotationor pivotal movement between the hinge leaf 24 and the hinge pin 26. Oneof these two members is made to carry a key and the other is formed witha slot. Relative rotation of the leaf and the hinge pin are preventedwhen the key is disposed in the slot. The hinge pin is translated alongits axis to engage and disengage the key and the slot. In thisembodiment the lower end of the hinge pin 26 is provided with a cap 50,the upper face of which is provided with a series of teeth 52 which inthis embodiment are formed entirely around the-cap 50. Means not shownprevent relative rotation between the cap 50 and the hinge pin 26. Thelower face of the cylindrical structure 32 of hinge leaf 24 is providedwith corresponding teeth 54. The teeth 52 and 54 are complementallyformed so that one set of teeth fits within the other in the manner of akey and slot and it matters not which is defined as the slot and whichis defined as the key. Once the two sets of teeth are engaged with oneanother, relative rotation or pivotal movement of the hinge plate 24relative to the hinge pin 26 is precluded and the angle between the twohinge leaves 22 and 24 is fixed. The teeth are arranged so that anytooth of the set 52 can fit within any two teeth of the set 54 so thatthe two hinge leaves 22 and 24 can be locked in any relative angular orpivotal position in which the sets of teeth will mesh with one another.

Means are provided for translating the hinge pin along its axis. In thisembodiment that means comprises a cam and cam surface combination. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 2 a cam 56 is pinned by a pivot pin 58 to theupper end of the hinge pin 26. The face of the cam 56 bears against theupper face of a washer 60 through which the hinge pin extends and whichlies against the upper face of the cylindrical structure 28. Rotation ofthe cam 56 about the pivot pin 58 forces the hinge pin upwardly alongits axis until the set of teeth 52 is fully engaged in the set of teeth54. The camming arrangement is similar to that illustrated in FIG. andoperation of cam 56 can be fully understood from the description of theembodiments of that figure. When the cam 56 is rotated back to theposition shown, the hinge pin 26 is lowered either by the force ofgravity or by pushing downwardly on the handle portion of the cam 56. Ifthe handle is raised to the position shown and the hinge pin 26 is notlowered so that the teeth 52 clear the teeth 54, a camming action willoccur between those sets of teeth when the hinge is actuated and thetooth set 52 will be forced downwardly to clear the tooth set 54.

Unlike the embodiment of FIG. 2 whose normal condition is either thelocked condition or the unlocked condition, the hinge of FIG. 3 isnormally locked because means are provided for urging the hinge pin to alocking position. In FIG. 3 the cylindrical structures 44 and 62 formpart of the hinge leaf 64. The cylindrical structure 44 is disposedbetween the cylindrical structures 66 and 68 of leaf 70. The uppercylindrical structure of the leaf 70 is designated 72. The hinge pin 74extends through all of those cylindrical structures and at its lower endthe hinge pin is formed with a cap 76 whose upper face is formed withsquare teeth one of which is designated as 78 and is disposed between apair of complementally formed square teeth 80 formed on the lower faceof the cylindrical structure 68 of binge leaf 70. The teeth of the cap76 and of the cylindrical member 68 being engaged, relative rotation orhinge action between the hinge pin and the leaf 70 is precluded. Theteeth of these members are held engaged by a spring 82 which bears atits lower end against a washer 84 overlying the upper face of thecylindrical structure 72. At its upper end the bias spring 82 bearsagainst the lower face of a knurled knob 86 which is fixed to the hingepin 74 whereby the hinge pin is urged upwardly. To disengage the teeth78 and 80 whereby to permit rotation of leaf 70 relative to leaf 64 andthe hinge pin, it is necessary only to depress the knob 86 against thebias of spring 82. As previously described rotation of the hinge pin 74relative to the hinge leaf 64 is precluded by a stop pin 42 whichextends through a vertical slot formed in the cylindrical structure 44and through a hole which extends transversely through the hinge pin.

The embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 employ the pin and slot arrangement toprovide the means by which one of the hinge leaves or arms is precludedfrom rotational or pivotal movement relative to the hinge pin. Thatmeans may comprise structures of alternate form one of which isillustrated in FIG. 5. In this embodiment the hinge is arranged so thatthe lowermost cylindrical structure forms part of one hinge leaf and sothat the uppermost cylindrical structure forms a part of the other leaf.The two leaves are held together by a pivot pin which extends throughthose cylindrical structures. A key and slot arrangement is provided atboth ends of the pivot pin and the key and slot are locked and unlockedby translating the hinge pin along its axis relative to the hingeleaves. In FIG. 4 the two hinge leaves are designated by the referencenumerals 88 and 90, respectively. The lower cylindrical structure 92 andthe third cylindrical structure 94 from the bottom in FIG. 4 from a partof the hinge leaf 88 in that they comprise extensions from one edgewhich are wrapped around to form a cylindrical structure by which theleaf is secured to the pin. The cylindrical structure at the top isdesignated by the reference numeral 96 and the cylindrical structuredisposed between the structures 92 and 94 is designated 98. The twocylindrical structures 96 and 98 form a part of the leaf 90. The hingepin 100 extends entirely through all four cylindrical structures. At itslower end the hinge pin is provided with a cap 102 whose upper faceforms a set of teeth 104. This set of teeth is engageable with acomplementally formed set of teeth 106 which are formed on the lowerface of the cylindrical structure 92. The upper face of the uppercylindrical structure 96 is formed to provide a set of teeth 108 whichis engageable with a complementally formed set of teeth 110 on the lowerface of a heavy washer 112 which has a central opening, not shown in thedrawings, through which the pivot pin I00 extends. As illustrated inFIG. 5, the upper end of the hinge pin I00 is flattened in diametricregions along a portion of its length to form parallel flats upon whichthe cam member 114 is mounted by pivot pin 116. The flats of the hingepin extend to a point below the Washer 112. The opening in the washerthrough which the hinge pin extends is not circular but is formed withflats complementing the flats of the pin whereby the washer 112 is freeto move relative to the pin in its axial direction but is precluded fromrotation relative to the hinge pin. When the cam lever is rotated to theposition shown in FIG. 4 the cam bears against the upper face or cammingsurface of the washer 112 whereby the pin 100 is forced upwardly. Theset of teeth 104 of cap 102 are forced into engagement with teeth 106 ofcylindrical member 92. Also, the washer 112 is forced downwardly so thatits set of teeth "0 engages the set of teeth 108 of the cylindricalmember 96. The washer I12 and the cap 102 being fixed against rotationrelative to the pivot pin and being fixed one to the leaf 90 and theother to the leaf 88, the leaves are precluded from hinge action orrotation relative to one another about the pivot pin when the camoccupies the position it is shown to have in FIG. 5.

While the several embodiments selected for illustration relate to butthinges it will be apparent that the invention is applicable to otherhinges. It will be apparent also that although the particular lockingstructures illustrated in these embodiments are advantageously employedand have preferred form, various modifications may be made in theseforms and other forms are possible.

lclaim:

I. A locking hinge comprising:

a hinge pin having a central axis;

a pair of hinge leaves, one having pivotal connection to said pin, andthe pin being movable along its central axis relative to both hingeleaves and extending at both ends beyond said hinge leaves;

means for preventing pivotal motion of the other leaf relative to thepin;

locking means responsive to displacement of said pin along its centralaxis relative to said leaves to a locking position for impeding relativemotion between said pin and said one leaf comprising a clamping elementengageable with said one leaf and fixed to one end of said pin at apoint beyond said hinge leaves and engageable with said one leaf as anincident to displacement of said pin; and

means for holding said pin displaced to locking position;

said locking means further comprising another clamping element carriedon said pin at its other end and capable of being forced into engagementwith one of said hinge leaves;

said means responsive to displacement of said pin comprising acomplementary key and slot one carried by one of said pin and said oneleaf and the other carried upon the other of said pin and said one leaf;and

in which said means holding the pin displaced comprises a cam carried bythe pin and rotatable thereupon to bear against said other of saidclamping elements.

2. A locking hinge comprising:

a hinge pin having a central axis;

a pair of hinge leaves, one having pivotal connection to said pin, andthe pin being movable along its central axis relative to both hingeleaves and extending at both ends beyond said hinge leaves;

means for preventing pivotal motion of the other leaf relative to thepin;

locking means responsive to displacement of said pin along its centralaxis relative to said leaves to a locking position for impeding relativemotion between said pin and said one leaf comprising a clamping elementengageable with said one leaf and fixed to one end of said pin at apoint beyond said hinge leaves and engageable with said one leaf as anincident to displacement of said pin; and

means for holding said pin displaced to locking position;

said locking means further comprising another clamping element carriedon said pin at its other end and capable of being forced into engagementwith one of said hinge leaves;

said means for holding said pin displaced comprising a cam and means forpivotally connecting the cam to the pin at a point such that said otherclamping element is engaged and forced into clamping engagement withsaid one leaf as an incident to pivoting of the cam.

3. The invention defined in claim 3 in which said hinge leaves comprisecomplementally and alternately arranged wrap around extensions at oneedge wrapped around said pin and in which said clamping elements areengageable with the outer edges of respectively associated ones of saidwrap around extensions of said one leaf.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 in which said first mentionedclamping element and the wrap around extension with which it isassociated, have their adjacent surfaces formed by complementallyarranged teeth.

1. A locking hinge comprising: a hinge pin having a central axis; a pairof hinge leaves, one having pivotal connection to said pin, and the pinbeing movable along its central axis relative to both hinge leaves andextending at both ends beyond said hinge leaves; means for preventingpivotal motion of the other leaf relative to the pin; locking meansresponsive to displacement of said pin along its central axis relativeto said leaves to a locking position for impeding relative motionbetween said pin and said one leaf comprising a clamping elementengageable with said one leaf and fixed to one end of said pin at apoint beyond said hinge leaves and engageable with said one leaf as anincident to displacement of said pin; and means for holding said pindisplaced to locking position; said locking means further comprisinganother clamping element carried on said pin at its other end andcapable of being forced into engagement with one of said hinge leaves;said means responsive to displacement of said pin comprising acomplementary key and slot one carried by one of said pin and said oneleaf and the other carried upon the other of said pin and said one leaf;and in which said means holding the pin displaced comprises a camcarried by the pin and rotatable thereupon to bear against said other ofsaid clamping elements.
 2. A locking hinge comprising: a hinge pinhaving a central axis; a pair of hinge leaves, one having pivotalconnection to said pin, and the pin being movable along its central axisrelative to both hinge leaves and extending at both ends beyond saidhinge leaves; means for preventing pivotal motion of the other leafrelative to the pin; locking means responsive to displacement of saidpin along its central axis relative to said leaves to a locking positionfor impeding relative motion between said pin and said one leafcomprising a clamping element engageable with said one leaf and fixed toone end of said pin at a point beyond said hinge leaves and engageablewith said one leaf as an incident to displacement of said pin; and meansfor holding said pin displaced to locking position; said locking meansfurther comprising another clamping element carried on said pin at itsother end and capable of being forced into engagement with one of saidhinge leaves; said means for holding said pin displaced comprising a camand means for pivotally connecting the cam to the pin at a point suchthat said other clamping element is engaged and forced into clampingengagement with said one leaf as an incident to pivoting of the cam. 3.The invention defined in claim 3 in which said hinge leaves comprisecomplementally and alternately arranged wrap around extensions at oneedge wrapped around said pin and in which said clamping elements areengageable with the outer edges of respectively associated ones of saidwrap around extensions of said one leaf.
 4. The invention defined inclaim 3 in which said first mentioned clamping element and the wraparound extension with which it is associated, have their adjacentsurfaces formed by complementally arranged teeth.